PZ 3 
.S8452 


FT MEPDE 
GenCol 1 




r t 


I 

! 

( 


1 




COPYRIGHTED 1911 
By MYRTLE GEST STEVENS 


The Highways 
and The Hedges 

3y MYRTLE GEST STEVENS 



ILLUSTRATED BY FREDERIC MVSSEY 



» 





n 

♦ 
% 

• o 

> 


©CI.A300022 

WyO. ^ 





t 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 



To the Y. P. S. C. E. of the First Pres- 
byterian Church of Topeka, Kansas, and its 
))eloved pastor, Stephen S. Estey, Ph. D., is 
this ])ook affectionately dedicated by the au- 
thor. 



Phoenix, Arizona 
Aug., 1911 



f 


I * 



f 


i 




I 




¥ 


»• ^ 

‘ t 


4 

• I 

.. ' 

•l 

f. y.’’ 

^ » 

4 

• V 

I 


k. 



> • 

V • • 

I «- 

• . 

4 


\ 


r 


« 







I « 


% 

i 

i 





I 


4 




V 



‘ * \ 


I 


t 



t 


I 


f 


« 



» 







« 



I l » \ r 


J • 

I * 

/■♦ « 


» I 

t 



I 

t 


M 






\ 


% 



\ € 



» » 





4 


4 

i 


I • 


« 

« 





I 







I I 









« 


« 






» 



I 



» 

« 


*' t 



4 

AM 




• ' ' . iJi 



‘ h 


/ 

"y-i- 


t 


' J 




^ . .A 




I •' 

la 






i i 


• j‘ 



BEATRICE AND THE WAIF 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


PREFACE. 

EA^ery author needs an inspiration to 
write a book Avortli while; moreoA^er, each 
should haA^e a reason for doin^ so. Some 
AAn-ite to amuse, othere to instrnet and en- 
lighten, AAdiile yet another desires to send 
out a message where the feet ('annot go per- 
sonally to carry it. In the case of this little 
book, the latter inotiA^e is paramount. 

The author hopes that eA^eryone, regard 
less of class or ('reed, AAdio reads it may be 
moATd— be it eA^er so slightly — AAuth a de- 
sire to giA^e aid in any manner AAdiatsoeA^ei*, 
to those AAdio may need it, unmindful as AA^ell 
of their class or creed, yea, more, may AAuth- 
hold censure and condemnation until all 
facts are clear and ]dain; then should the 
conditions AA^arrant an inteiwention, may it 
lie acconpilished as the Master AAT)uld haA^e 
it done. 

Fin thermore, teach loA^e, not ,hatred; 
lieace, not strife; SAA^eet simplicity, not de- 
coying pomp and aboA’e all, “Be ye kind, one 
to another, eA^en as He also AA^as kind.” 




THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 




Olien the door of your heart iny friend, 
Heedless of class or creed, 

When .you hear the cry of a brother’s A^oice, 
The sob of a child in need. 

To the shining heaA^en that o ’er you bends 
You need no map or chart. 

But only the loA^e the INIaster gaA^e. 

Open the door of your heart. 


— EdAvard EA^erett Hale. 




4 ► ^ • 


9 


V 


\ 


f 





« 


I 







1 


« * 




ft 


€ 


ft 


t 










' • 




» 


« 





r 




1 



« 


I 


t 



« 



I • 


'4 




/ 


I 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


l^iglfiuagH anb l^piigpa 


CHAPTER I. 

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of 
peace and bring glad tidings of great joy. 

Constance Amherst sat in her favorite 
nook on the rose laden ])orch, gazing per- 
plexedly on a springtime glory which her 
eyes discerned but her sonl did not feel. A 
beautiful, golden-haired, blue-eyed young 
butterfly of fashion was she, with all the 
sweet, lovable charms which marked her at 
once the favorite of her pleasure loving cir- 
cle. Incapalde of one single, mean, ungen- 
erous impulse with odious intent, but her 
innocent levity was mconguous with her 
undertaking at that time; responsibility sat 
lightly on those graceful shoulders, the 
depths had not })een touched. 

Jose])h Gillman reclined in the big- 
leather chair in his study, his eyes pene- 
trating the same wonders of reawakening 
nature with a soul keenly responsive to its 
beauty but in his ]iainful abstraction saw 
it not. Through the window at his side the 
sun shone brightly, Init by and by a shadow 
would fall across it; the cornice of Tlolly- 


PAGE ONE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


wood Avenue Cliur('h was destined to ob- 
scure the golden sheen. This condition re- 
sulted from the “L” addition of the Sun- 
day School rooms; the pastor’s study was a 
cheery den in the main i)art of the church, 
near the entrance. 

But whatsoever of exterior, natural 
gloom one part of his church building might 
(-ast upon another Joseph Gillman seldom 
allowed the shadows of its inner struggles 
to depress him; his strength was necessarily 
conserved to engineer the intricate machin- 
ery of his splendid mission — it was not a 
melancholy, repining sluggard’s task. 

On this particular afternoon he had re- 
lived the half hour, following his gradua- 
tion and the receiving of his degree, spent 
with his venerable, white-haired father. 
Through all the years of his boyhood and 
young manhood the perfect mutuality of 
those two had been one of the beautifni ex- 
amples of father and son associations as 
they should be but which are so rare in onr 
present day. 

With the assurance of being understood 
his father had laid his aged, experienced 
hand over the boyish, unsophisticated one 
and said gently: “]\Iy son, words at such 


PAGE TWO 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


a time as this are inadequate and irrele- 
vant so I shall employ but few; it is the spir- 
it of thoughts unspoken which I wish you 
to carry with yon out into the strife — you 
understand, I know; but that strife gives 
way to a serenity of loving purpose if you, 
in the very beginning give Him your com- 
plete, undivided heart; not alone the re- 
spect, admiration and love of your heart but 
its holiest reverence. Into that heart, my 
son, ‘some rain must fall, some da.ys will 
be dark and dreary,’ but be steadfast, im- 
movable. Some will smite you, others will 
kiss imnr hand — feel only love and pit.y for 
them all. Keep clean, white hands but re- 
member my boy, that they are never stain- 
ed b}^ the mire into which they plunge to 
rescue a fallen brother, neither are they 
blackened by the toil which rows a ship- 
wrecked derelict to a sheltered harbor.” 

Then with a silent handclasp, the 
warmth of which Joseph Gillman had felt 
in spirit each moment of the time since 
then, he had gone out from that presence 
with the awe of one who had viewed heav- 
enly things. 

Nevertheless, he was grieved to antici- 
pate the coming interview. At four o’clock 


PAGE THREE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


he mii&t call ii])on Constance Amherst, the 
JY’esident of the Young People’s Society 
of his church; the problem of her efficienc.y 
to make the most of that important office 
had long been a matter of conjecture with 
him and now she must face the test. Con- 
sultations with her had been frequent dur- 
ing the many months of his pastorate there 
for she had always contrived to make her- 
self indispensable in his work. 

Punctuality was a law with him so 
he arose in haste for it lacked but ten min- 
utes till four and eight blocks lay between 
them. 

Constance welcomed him a little re- 
strainedly for she felt he came with sword 
unsheathed. He wasted no time and s]]oke 
in a tone which betrayed his deei^er feel- 
ings: “What is this I hear, Miss Constance 
about the stand you take against admitting 
Bernard Crisman into the Society? I was 
unable to attend the l)usiness meeting last 
week but sent his name by a meml)er of 
the Lookout Committee.” 

AYith some heat she replied with a 
question: “Mr. Gillman, do you approve of 
that hobo jail-l)ird becoming a member of 
our Society?” 


PAGE FOUR 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


^‘Wliy use such a stigmatic term'?” 

“Why? Because it applies. Mary 
Lamsoii’s cousin, who is visiting her, saw 
him in church last Sunday and recognized 
him as the same fellow he had seen out 
west over a year ago while there on that 
mining case. This Crisman was mixed up 
in some kind of a saloon fight and sentenc- 
ed to six months in jail. Now he drops 
into our city ,secures a good position with 
the Railroad Company at a time when the 
work was crippled by the strike and pre- 
STunes to make a dash into respectable com- 
panv. Don’t vou realize how im])ossible he 
is?” 

“No, I’m not so blinded by the fog of 
bigotrv and vou tell me nothing I did not 
know.” 

“Really? And now don’t tell me you 
haven’t noticed his queer store clothes, 
moreover, he is illiterate; at the close of ser- 
vices last Sunday I overheard him say: 
‘Ain’t he a fine preacher?’ Mr. Gillman, 
.vou know our young peo])le are so clannish, 
and imagine him with us on a picnic or out 
enjoying a marshmallow roast by moon- 
light. Doesn’t the verv idea of it amuse 
you?” 


PAGE FIVE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


“Perhaps I am deficient in humor, but 
I fail to be amused. Tell me if, in your 
opinion, picnics and marshmallow roasts 
constitute the predominant benefits of a 
Society of Christian young people?” 

“0 no, indeed! Think of our large 
gifts to charity, foreign missions, etc., and 
consider the great lessons we study each 
Sunday evening which broaden our possi- 
bilities of assisting you in your larger work; 
for instance, our lesson tomorrow night is 
— is — ” confusion put vaunting to rout. 

“Yes, Miss Constance, the lesson is 
about what?” he assisted kindly. 

‘ ‘ The — Prodigal — Son ! ’ ’ 

“Ah ! I know. Does it thrown any ligld 
on the matter under discussion?” 

“Well, hardly. Y^ou see the father re- 
ceived this particular prodigal and” as if 
banishing the subject as not practical, “he 
returned from a ‘far country.’ ” 

“Who are we but servants of that 
Father who bids us give at least a cup of 
water in His name? And could not that 
‘far country’ of sin and vice be found in 
our sister state, 3"ea even around the corner 
of this block?” 


PAGE SIX 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


She meditated a moment before deliv- 
ering this answer: “I think it is impossi- 
ble to exeente some such injunctions in 
these days when we must be so wary as to 
the company we keep.” 

He suppressed a groan but when tak- 
ing his leave the iron in his will was para- 
mount .although he was neither abrupt nor 
unkind, only disappointed as he said: “I 
request you to call an executive meeting 
for next week and we will discuss this case 
thoroughly.” 

“0, I see, this is a declaration of war!” 

“War? God forbid! Instead a felici- 
tous shoulder to shoulder service for the 
Prince of Peace. 

The executive meeting did not terminate 
to Joseph Gillman’s satisfaction entirely. 
He loved his young people and the.y 
loved him dearly, but the thread of har- 
mony seemed somewhat strained. The 
President’s first question made him soul 
sick: “Mr. Gillman, we have just heard 
that ^Ir. Crisman is a Roman Catholic, did 
you know that?” 

“I know that he was taught those prin- 
ciples in his early diildhood but I am as 
equally certain that he is now a storm- 


PAGE SEVEN 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


tossed mariner with despairing eyes turn- 
ed toward the Young Peoples’ organization 
of this church as his lighthouse on a far off 
shore, and it rests with you to keep that 
‘lamp all trimmed and burning.’ ” 

“Please tell us just what jmu know 
of him.” This was from Mary Lamson, 
the Lookout Committee Chairman. 

“That I cannot do in hts entireness 
without betraying a confidence; some day 
you also, may hear it voluntarily from his 
own lips but justice to him demands this 
mucli explanation; I met him by chaiK'e one 
Sunday afternoon when I conducted the 
meeting at the Railroad Y. M. C. A. He 
rooms there and was passing out as I enter- 
ed; I invited him to stay, which he consent- 
ed to do, even thanking me for my hand- 
clasp — he delineated it as a ‘friend’s grip.’ 

I suppose I must have said something 
that day which vibrated that silver thread 
of which every life, even the blackest can 
boast for since that time he has sought me 
and I have grown very close to him. His 
famished heart cried out for a confidant and 
I am proud to be chosen as the recipient of 
the secrets of his inmost heart. Further- 
more, I fearlessly declare that his historv 


PAGE EIGHT 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


will sbine with resplendent cleanness in 
that ^reat day when written side by side 
with that of some members of this or of any 
other church in this fair land. As to his ii- 
literacy, that is manifest only in lapses and 
he is rapidly correcting those. He attends 
the Y. M. C. A. ni^ht classes, my library is 
also at his dis}K)sal. I am confident, my 
beloved, that in God’s own g-ood time you 
will learn to love him as a brother. As you 
well know, since he is not a member of this 
church, he could join yon only as an asso- 
ciate but he will not stand still.” 

It was decided that they invite Bernard 
Crisman to join them but their motive was 
obviously a desire to experiment. 

How man.y fold a pastor’s young peo- 
ple oft times augment his struggle! He 
draws young lives close to him and as a con- 
sequence makes them desire a place with his 
young peo])le because they are a part of 
him, but alas! he is against a solid wall 
when they, either as individuals or as an 
organization, reject the material he pre- 
sents as unworthy or do that which is as 
equally discouraging — give Inkewarm en- 
dorsement and co-operation. 

Crisman ’s res]:)onse was long delayed 


PAGE NINE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


for a promotion at that time came as such a 
stimulus to him for to the limit of 

his power that his entire time and energies 
were assiduously devoted to his work, his' 
studies and his visits to his “parson” as he 
loved to desi.s^nate Joseph Gillman. 



PAGE TEN 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


CHAPTER If, 

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love. 

The Commenceiiieiit week festivities of 
Constance Amherst’s Alma Plater were in 
full swing'. She had journeyed far to be in 
attendance and was the guest of Harriet 
Berry, a former classmate who was, at that 
time, a teacher in the college. 

One i:)erfect afternoon the two girls 
were enjoying life to its fullest extent; they 
drove al)out the city sight seeing and call- 
ing on various friends, many of whom were 
(‘ollege students. While on one of the bus- 
iest thoroughfares Harriet called Con- 
stance’s attention to a tall, tastefully gown- 
ed young woman coming out of one of the 
large dry goods stores. Constance was 
(|uick to note the exi3ression of ineffable 
sweetness on the beautiful fac'e; the great 
dee]) l)lack eyes, brimming with tender love, 
seemed ever on the alert for work to do. 

Harriet was saying; “I have so often 
longed to meet her, she is IVIrs. Nol)le — 
‘Beneficent Beatrice’ she is called. Her 
husl)and, who was imudi older than she, 
Avas killed in a wreck about a year ago, ouly 
a feAv days after their removal here. Ihi 
left her a large fortune and her munificent 


PAGE ELEVEN 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


ebarities are familiar to every household 
from one end of the city to the other. Not 
that grotesque travesty on charity which 
tosses a beggar a quarter and scorns his 
I'ags; she’s not one who writes a check and 
commissions a lackey to deliver it, neither 
does she ostentatiously drop a bill from 
daintily gloved finger-tips, then turn away 
with uplifted chin, curled ip:) nose and a 
shrug of pretty shoulders indicative of the 
thought: 

‘Well, that’s done! I hope the newspa- 
pers will give it due publicity.’ Not much! 
she goes everywhere, does anything, sees — 
oh look! What has happened?” Almost as 
a lightning flash an auto shot past ; Harriet 
drew her horse up short to prevent furthei* 
tragedy for at their feet the gasoline mon- 
ster had left its victim — a ragged newsboy. 

Beatrice Noble’s hands were first to siic- 
('or and eye witnesses will never forget that 
sight; the mangled waif was gathered with- 
in the loving arms and gently borne to the 
girls’ carriage. She entreated them to drive 
to the nearest hospital; the delay to call an 
ambulance, she said, would prolong his 
agony. Harriet and Constance remained in 
the street until they saw the hospital doors 
close ufmn the two then drove away with 


PAGE TWELVE 


THE HIGHWAYS ANd’ THE HEDGES 


the consciousness that if love could heal, a 
miracle was soon to be Avrought Avithin 
those Avails. 

Next afternoon Constance proposed a 
visit to the hospital but Harriet ansAvered 
regretfully: “I’m too busy, Conie, but I 
AAush you’d go.” 

Upon arriving she supposed it Avoukl 
be a matter of only a moment to find the 
child she sought, thinking of course to ask 
for Mrs. Noble’s protege, but quickly learn- 
ed to her astonishment, that the number 
Avas by no means limited to one so had to 
designate specificall.y the one in question. 
She found “Beneficent Beatrice” at the 
child’s bedside, soothing and comforting 
him. 

As the moments fled and Constance be- 
came more acquainted Avith her companion 
she secretl}!^ deplored the disparity in their 
lives; her oAvn superficialness rose up to 
mock her, but the harvest Avas one of per- 
plexity AAdiich bore no fruit; the labyrinth 
Avas too baffling for the feet of immaturity. 

They left the hospital together and 
AAdien they parted Constance expressed un- 
Avonted pleasure in an invitation Avhich in 
any other case Avould haA^e seemed trivial to 


PAGE THIRTEEN 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


her — Harriet and she were to lunch with 
Mrs. Noble on the moiTow. 

Constance was considerably puzzled to 
understand the address ^iven her for it in- 
dubitably belonged to one of the poorer, less 
fashionable quarters of the city. At the 
last moment urgent work ^claimed Har- 
riet’s attention so Constance was compelled 
to go alone. She encountered no difficulty 
in locating the address and in doing so her 
homage wavered to d marked degree. The 
house was a one story, old style structure 
surrounded by a ])aling fence and situated 
on a narrow, unpaved street; everything 
about the premises however, was immacu- 
lately clean and neat, this also was the key- 
note of an unexpected charm of the inte- 
rior; an air of homelike peace pervaded the 
cheery rooms, everything denoted useful- 
ness; the absence of superfluity was restful. 
The girlish hostess, herself, clad in a sim- 
ple, cotton house dress blended into the har- 
monious whole. More than ever, Con- 
stance felt herself an alien in that atmos- 
l)here and it irritated her, but rebellious 
emotions were always short lived when in 
the presence of Beatrice Noble. 

By and by the simple, delicious lun- 
cheon was served by two young girls who 


PAGE FOURTEEN 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


were made welcome at the table with hos- 
tess and guest. Constance afterward learn- 
ed that two years preAuous, these girls had 
been snatched from the disgrace of the 
street and were receiving a home and an 
education from her who had rescued them. 

Before the meal was concluded, two lit- 
tle mischievous, sunburned boys, caps in 
hand, appeared on the threshold of the tiny 
dining room. Catching the hearty, smiling 
greeting: “What is it laddies?” the older 
one responded with alacrity, “Please 
ma’am, Mrs. Noble, the boiler’s busted and 
(-an’t somebody fix it right quick?” 

“That they shall, and just so quickly it 
will make your little heads whii*l,” then 
with a wink at Constance added, “sit 
down in the kitchen you laddies, and wait 
till ]\[ary comes to give you a peep at the 
. ]iantry shelf.” Four s] arkling eyes and 
two happy, well stretched mouths, cogni- 
zant from past experiem-es of the weight 
of those words, faded Idissfully away into 
the realm of the small boy’s delight! 

With a quiet, “Please excuse me a 
moment, ^liss Amherst,” Mrs. Noble tele- 
phoned to a plumber to go at once to repair 
the kitchen boiler in the “Beatrice Home 
for Street Waifs.” 


PAGE FIFTEEN 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


Be it known in passing, that before she 
slept a personal inspection was made to 
satisfy herself that all was well with her 
lambs. 

The conversation soon drifted to 
churches and charities. Constance unre- 
servedly extolled Mrs. Noble’s generous 
benevolences, but was silenced with such 
gentle, kindly dignity that she was face to 
face with a new lesson to be learned, ‘ ‘ True 
charity suffereth long and is kind, hut 
vaunteth not itself and is not puffed u]).” 

Only one phase of her work would the 
splendid Beatrice discuss and that she did, 
freely and enthusiastically. The reason for 
this was obvious, for in it she had the co-o]v 
eration of others and was anxious to ac'cord 
to them unstinted praise and consideration. 

About one year previous she had se- 
lected a five-acre tract of land outside the 
city limits a short distance but in close 
proximity to a suburban carline. These 
five acres were all that remained as sal- 
able of Avhat had once been the large estate 
of an old wealthy family and on them were 
the large house of fourteen rooms, spacious 
out-buildings, a fine orchard and grape ar- 
bor, all evincing signs of neglect but in a 


PAGE SIXTEEN 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


good state of preservation. This valuable 
little garden spot had, for many years, been 
a bone of contention among several heirs, 
but finally an amicable settlement had been 
made and Mrs. Noble fortunately secured 
the property. 

She began operations for the founding 
of a home for waifs by placing in charge a 
competent man and his widowed sister. 
This sister had two children, a boy of ten 
and a girl two years his junior; to support 
them she had been conp^elled to take in 
washings; the little boy had also begun his 
battle on the street in tlie ))itter cold, keep- 
ing step to the music of “papers, evening 
p/apers.” 

From this nucleus an institution of 
large proportions and remarkable power 
had developed within one short year, and 
at the time of Constance’s visit with its 
founder, a family of forty was enjojdng its 
manifold benefits. The greater number of 
these were waifs of l)oth sexes having no 
home ties whatsoever. Sometimes a juvenile 
rescue from the streets revealed deplorable 
home conditions and these cases received 
immediate attention. 

One crippled, lonely young mother was 


PAGE SEVENTEEN 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


found who sat all day in a stifling tenement 
room patiently awaiting the return of the 
little bread winner with his pdttance. She 
was an intelligent, cultured woman and de- 
clared it the fullest, happiest day of her 
life when she began her duties in the school- 
room of the Home which sheltered her son. 

A long, comfortable building had been 
erected near the main house; this served 
the triple purpose of dining room, school- 
]*oom, and chapel. This teacher sat in her 
invalid chair and trained the impoverished 
little brains during three hours of the day. 
They spent the remainder of the day in 
v arious light duties. The boys worked in the 
gardens and orchards with an experienced 
farmer. Once each week they built a min- 
iature house or barn under the supervision 
of an expert carpenter, whose loss of 
two limbs in a falling scaffold accident 
had rendered him unfit to sup})ort his chil- 
dren by day labor; these “works of art” 
were used for chicken coops, for fruit and 
vegetable bins or else were carefully torn 
down and the material used again. 

Meanwhile, the girls were acquiring 
skill in the kitc'hen, the laundry, with the 
needle, in short ])ecoming ]}ractical house- 
keepers under the guiding hand of capable 


PAGE EIGHTEEN 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


women, all without exception, unfortunate 
mothers of some of the inmate children. 

Every Saturday from noon until chore 
time Avas a holiday for the entire institu- 
tion; man}^ times it was spent in picnics to 
the little grove nearby, closing with a bas- 
ket lunch; at other times they were treated 
to a trip into tlie city with their benefac- 
tress; again in winter when blizzards made 
outdoor sports impossible, they all gather- 
ed around warm roaring fires in the dining 
hall and cracked nuts, played games and in 
countless ways enjoyed a life which was in- 
deed the antithesis of the old regime. 

Sunda.ys were red letter days. In the 
forenoons the,y ahva^ys studied a bible les- 
son from their leaflets, sang songs from lit- 
tle hymn books and usually Mrs. Noble 
went out to talk to them. In the afternoons, 
representath^es of the Young People’s So- 
cieties from some of the A^arious churches 
never failed to Ausit them, bringing their 
gifts and the good cheer Avhich breathes of 
felloAvship and loA^e. 

Beatrice Noble had evolved and financ- 
ed this Avorthy project and also s-et the com- 
plicated machinery in motion, but AAdien yet 
in its infancy, it caught and held the atten- 


PAGE NINETEEN 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


tion of scores of persons having charitable 
inclinations and well filled i)nrses but with 
no natural conception of how to engineer 
some feasible, philanthropic scheme. 

Donations and contributions soon be- 
('ame weekly, if not daily events. The 
3"oung people of one church had planned 
and economized until they were able to 
take forth their offering — a fine portable 
house for hospital purposes. Another so- 
ciety bought and donated a valuable cow, 
and this marked the opening of a new era 
at the Home; twenty cows were quickly 
added to the dairy herd and the sales from 
that source alone went far toward covering 
the expenses of the establishment. 

Five Junior Societies lived in ecstacies 
for months, hugging the pious sensation of 
having jointly given the ])ony and light 
wagon which transported the milk and 
cream to the creamery each day; a similar 
necessity for the delivery of eggs, vegetables 
and fruit from house to house, had come 
through the generosity of college students 
and teachers. 

Mrs. Noble’s ideas for her course in the 
future were as practical as those of the past 
had proven to be. As soon as a child was 


PAGE TWENTY 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


sufficiently strong and ca]3able to be taken 
into some good home to do light work and 
attend school it ninst do so and make room 
for the incoming ones. Never shonld one 
be bound ont to service, but always sub- 
ject to her recall in case she deemed their 
duties too arduous or their guardians unfit. 

Constance listened with a tronblesome 
lump somewhere near the vocal cords, a 
Ininp which threatened to become of snch 
size as to prevent her expressing approval 
in a polite stereotyped phrase. Had she 
known it the trick conld easily have been 
accomplished in a manner most pleasing 
to the narrator — the street waif nomencla- 
ture conld boast the aptest term: “Yon 
betcher life, she’s the dope!” 

At length Constance ventured the 
question: “To what church do you belong, 
Mrs. Noble? I hope .you are of the same 
denomination as I.” 

“Ah! I see, a Protestant, aren’t you?” 

“Most certainly T am.” 

“Proud of it, my dear?” The sweet 
face and gentle voice intimated naught but 
kindness. 

“Proud? Indeed I would not live 


PAGE TWENTY-ONE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


without iny church!” Constance retorted, 
haughtily. 

Sorrowfully, Beatrice made mental 
note of the fact that her guest did not say : 
“I could not live without my Christ.” 
Aloud she asked, with much feeling: “Dear 
friend, what do sects or creeds matter when 
there is so much work to do? Work which 
no church demands of us but which the 
compassionate Savior of men, speaking 
through the ages, pleads with us in suppli- 
cation to perform willingly and lovingly 
in His name. These errands of love simi)ly 
play into our hands in the form of suffering 
and sorrow all about us. 

Oh, what a need of unity of effort! 
AVhy must that blessed wo]*d truth be so 
hopelessly warped and ruthlessly sullied ])y 
the fires of sectarian hate? God intended it 
to be the guiding star of one great family 
and have one meaning only; indiAuduals mis- 
construe it to mean whatsoever they most 
desire, what is most convenient.” The 
strong, perfect, efficient hands were lift- 
ed in an unconscious, appealing gesture — 
“Believe me Miss Amherst, doctrines and 
precepts are noble and inspiring, but con- 
scientious practice makes them divine. 

You asked me though regarding mv 


PAGE TWENTY-TWO 


I 


t 


f 




i 




I \ 


I ' 


k * 






9 


I 


$ 



% 


0 



I * 


« 


1 







f 



*• 


i 


t 


r , 

I 

% 





► Tf> 


i 


1 




BEATRICE AND THE WAIF 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


church affiliations and I gladly enlighten 
you — I have none, but I presume you would 
call me a Roman Catholic, even though 1 
am sincere when I tell you that since I was 
seven year of age, I have lived no closer 
to that church than I have to those of your 
Protestant faith, but when tiny children to- 
gether at our sweet, loving mother’s knee, 
little brother and I imbibed the teachings of 
that church. Ah ! dear little brother, where 
are you now? How gladly for your sake 
would I temper the winds to every little or 
idian in the world.” 

Thus, reminicently, she became obliv- 
ious of her surroundings for the moment, 
and was mercifully spared the sneer, fleet- 
ing but cynical which swe]A her compan- 
ion’s face. Suddenly, she added contritely: 
“Oh! I beg your pardon Miss Amherst, 
memories steal in unawares sometimes, but 
I promise to not again forget your pres- 
ence.” 

Later, when goodbyes had been ex- 
changed and Constance was hastening to 
her friend, her many conflicting emotions 
held high carnival; the great vivisector of 
the conscience stealthily applied the shining 
knife and patiently bided his time to view 
a naked soul. 


PAGE TWENTY-THREE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


CHAPTER III. 

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my 
help. 


Not until during the intimacy of re- 
tirement was Constance able to speak of her 
visit with the y oung philanthropist, and 
then Harriet detected a reluctance to be ex- 
plicit as to details. Reaching over, she 
drew the golden head to her own pilloAv and 
gently strove to comfort: “Conie, dear, 
you are troubled, I know, I, too, felt that 
pain for many weeks after I commenced to 
stud}^ from afar though it was, the life and 
illimitable possibilities of that wonderful 
women. Pain before happiness. Ah! what 
an elusive elfin is happiness; we feel as- 
sured we have joyfully snatched it and care- 
fully folded it to our breasts for all time, 
then in one short hour a gigantic whirlwind 
is born and we must begin building anew. 
The fault lies in the instability of our funda- 
tioiis, Conie: They consist of too many de- 
fective stones of selfishness, a superfluity 
of the crumbling mortar of haughty, blind- 
ing untruth, and rest, too much’ on the 
quicksand of irresi)onsibility. Our church, 
our friends, yea, even our Cod— all will fail 
to satiate in this mad race for unalloyed 


PAGE TWENTY-FOUR 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


happiness if we will not allow our hearts to 
get right with the truth of things. 

I love to compare Mrs. Noble’s perfect 
life to a wheel, having for its hul) the meek 
and lowly Nazerene, and leading to Him 
from the outer rim — the rushing, panting, 
throbbing world are ten spokes which I have 
named: Love (synonomous with charity), 
faith, hope, sympathy, unselfishness, for- 
giveness, sincerity, endurance, obedience 
and truthfulness; one imperfect component 
part endangers the whole, and our Father 
knows how deficient are the most of us in 
all of these virtues, ])ut He also sees and 
knows if we strive faithfully and unceas- 
ingly, 

‘To =show ourselves approved unto 
Him, His workmen that needeth not to be 
ashamed.’ ” 

A silence, fraught with struggles and 
suffering, fell between them ; at length Con- 
stance spoke hesitatingl^y, choosing her 
words as if groping for support: “That is 
a large order you give, Harriet, especially 
to one who, I confess, has undoubtetly ap- 
peared in the light of an egotist, but I catch 
your meaning and it clearly defines my 
path of dut.y in a controversy at home. 


PAGE TWENTY-FIVE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


Joseph Gillman was right, as usual, and I 
the one who was wrong.” 

“Joseph Gillman again. Conie, you 
speak so often of him.” 

“Why not? He is to our city what 
Beatrice Noble is to this. Small wonder we 
all love him. ’ ’ 

“Dearie, it’s more serious than that; 
you love him in a different way from all the 
others.” 

“Yes, if .you must hear it!” It was 
the cry of a wounded fawn at bay. “He 
alone is Hollywood Avenue Church to me. 
Ah! blush for me; ’tis for him, not the cause 
of Christ that I work; but I’m only one of 
the croAvd to him. We almost quarreled be- 
fore I left, for his indifference was so pro- 
nounced that I was piqued almost beyond 
my power to control; I became stubborn 
and contested his argument and opinion; 
but he is so fine, so strong, so noble — noble! 
0 Harriet, draw me closer! Can’t you see? 
He is noble and so is Beatrice. What a 
pair! Some day they will meet and then, 
hand in hand ,they will go out into the 
world together — this suffering, misunder- 
stood world, which needs them so much. 
AVhat a i^ower! Yes, what a power for 


PAGE TWENTY- SIX 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


good! 0 Father, help me to lift up mine 
eyes to the benignant source of all their 
strength and redeem this selfish life of 
mine!” 

The vivisector only smiled; his task was 
far from being complete. 



PAGE TWENTY-SEVEN 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


CHAPTER IV. 

From trials none can be exempt, 

'Tis God's all-wise decree; 

Satan the weakest saint will tempt. 

Nor is the strongest free. 

When Constance reached home she 
found arrangeinents practically com])leted 
for a social to be ^iven by the Yoim^’ Peo- 
]3le’s Society of the church. The evening 
chosen followed one of those rare days in 
June when all things in the universe seemed 
to dwell in peace with each other. 

The church lawn, lighted with dozens 
of picturesue lanterns, and dotted hero and 
there with happy, lau^hin^ j^ronijs of chat- 
ting youth, impressed Bernard Crisman as a 
,2^1impse into some dreamy Elysium as he ap- 
proached with his “parson.” It was to be his 
initial entrance into the desired circle; de- 
sired so much because these people were 
Joseph Gillman’s people. The ministej* 
facilitated the ordeal for Crisman as much 
as possible by throwing himself into any 
embarrassing gap which yaAvned threaten- 
ingly. 

About nine o’clock a superb summer 
moon rose out of the east, oA^er the city 
s])ires and illumined the scene Avith a flood 
of that Avondrous glory AAdiich, through all 


PAGE TWENTY-EIGHT 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


time lias and will ever cause the children 
of men to stoii and ])onder, even more — to 
worship the Power that sends and controls 
it. Lanterns were extinguished and the 
clan gathered about upon a large mat on the 
grass and indulged in their favorite amuse- 
ment, the game of impronpitu stories — 
jolly, innocent, amusing stories. Some- 
times a humorous account of someone’s trip, 
a witty portrayal of another’s misadven- 
ture, or the fruit of some imaginative brain. 
Mary Lamson was long on ghost stories; her 
cousin, Page Carter, could rattle off side- 
s]ditting, exaggerated tales of his travels 
imtil the crowd would beg for a res])ite that 
they might get a long breath. 

Carter had sto])ped over to be present 
at this social, for he had a wicked interest in 
witnessing the ‘Tion-taming;” it had gone 
out that in all iirohability Bernard Crisrnan 
would meet with them at last. Carter’s for- 
mer jioisoned arrows had found a home and 
he maliciously awaited the denouement. The 
story which he contributed to the game, in- 
deed “brought down the house,” and its re- 
ception tickled his vanity; it was not orig- 
inal with him, hut rather new at that time. 

“Last week,” he began, “when I was 
in Chicago, I boarded a crowded car headed 


PAGE TWENTY-NINE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


for one of the suburbs. Soon a lady entered 
with a baby on one arm and in the other 
and piled all over her, it seemed, were 
bundles galore. I offered her my seat and, 
after she had taken it, handed me a nickel, 
asking me to pay her fare when the con- 
ductor passed through, which I did. 

When a long Avay out, she began prep- 
arations to leave the car and straightway 
demanded her change of me. ‘Change,’ I 
asked in beAvilderment; ‘you gaA^e me a 
nickel. ’ 

‘I did not,’ she contradicted. ‘I gave 
you a quarter. ’ 

She stirred up such a fuss that I handed 
her tAventy cents to get rid of her; but, out 
of curiosity, followed her off of the car. 
Before she had gone far she dropped one of 
her miscellaneous packages. I picked it up 
and ordinarily would have returned it to its 
oAAmer. HoweA^er, in this case I felt myself 
a party aggrieved, so kept my find.” 

After a pause, Mary exclaimed : ‘ ‘ Real- 
ly, Page, hoAv avAdul of a^ou!” 

“What I Avant to knoAv is what it con- 
tained.” This from Constance, peeping 
around Mary’s shoulder. 


PAGE THIRTY 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


“Honest, are von enrious as to its con 
tents?” 

“0 Pa^e! hurry up and tell us,” came 
from a half dozen or more. 

“Very well, my children. It was brim- 
ming full of fish-bait to catch suckers!” 

“Oh, ohs! ha, has! my, mys! and dear 
mes!” swelled the chorus until a general 
hub-bub was in progress. Crisman’s first 
impulse was to exclaim: “Stung!” but 
caught himself in time; that would go with 
the bunch out west, but perhaps not here. 
His ambition to please the clan was pathetic. 

When the last titter and giggle had 
been stifled and order was restored, the min- 
ister said: “Mary, haven’t you seen some 
ghosts recently?” 

“Ghosts, recently? Well, I should 
say; so recently that my teeth chatter yet.” 

“So creepy as that?” queried one. 

“Sure! These were men ghosts.” 

“Yes, they must be the worst kind,” 
]jiped a small voice. 

“Go on, Mary,” commanded Constance. 
“This promises to be interesting.” 

“All right.” And Mary rocked to and 
fro as if A^ery much excited. “Last Aveek, 


PAGE THIRTY-ONE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


one afternoon, I went with Cousin Pa^e for 
a long drive in the country. When we were 
returning and while yet a long way out, our 
horse took sick and we were forced to seek 
a('('ommodations for the night Avith a far- 
mer’s family. They were eating supper 
when Ave stopped and hospitably iiiAuted us 
to partake also. Sometime in the night I 
heard the dog bark and howl fit to Avake the 
dead. ‘ Shut up ToAvser ! ’ roared the farmer, 
l)ut outraged ToAA^ser continued to treat the 
night air to Ioav yelps at irregular intervals; 
finally 1 got up and looked out of the Avin- 
doAv and lo! I wish you could have seen that 
sight out in the plum or('hard. Fully a 
dozen country yokels, I suppose they Avere, 
robed in the ela])orate attire of the ('hoi(‘est 
ghosts from Ghostville, were holding a con- 
flab, sotto Amce, and pointing and gesticu- 
lating toAvard my AvindoAv, but their voic-es 
Avere not so Ioav but that I heard or else al)- 
sorbed the sentiment of the groii]), Avhicdi 
Avas to seize me by some means and deliA^er 
me to the neighborhood Avitch. Ugh! that’s 
all I can tell you.” 

“Mercy! You must have been fright- 
ened entirely silly,” shuddered one. 

“Almost,” admitted Mary, ready to 
shriek — Avith laughter. 


PAGE THIRTY-TWO 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


“What happened next'?” Constanee 
asked eagerly. 

“My child, I woke np and ended the 
dream. Yon see, I had eaten cooked saner- 
krant and weinerwnrsts for supper!” 

“0 give us a rest!” they shouted ])ut 
Bernard thought, compassionately: “Poor 
gifl; now she’s been stnng again.” 

The fun continued unabated until at 
last only two links of the chain yet remained 
to respond — Joseph Gillman and his ward, 
Tlie moment' was one of tense expectancy. 
As the minister started to speak, Bernaixl 
lifted a silencing hand, saying: “Please 
wait, dear friend; I’ve a story to tell.” 

His voice alone was a power to reckon 
with during the narration; it was deep and 
forceful, but gentle, and gave hint of lonely 
days and lonelier nights spent in the moun- 
tain fastnesses or amid desert solitudes; its 
cadences breathed signific-antly of poignant 
suffering during hours when conscience was 
uatientlv imploring a chance. Resolutely 
he fa(‘ed his auditors and repeated to them 
most of that history of his life which toidure 
(*ould not have wrung from Gillman ’s lips 
without the other’s consent. 

“First, young people, I want to thank 


PAGE THIRTY-THREE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


you for your invitation to be one of you; I 
prize it next to the love of this man at my 
side; but I am not content to enter into fel- 
lowship with you until my past has been 
made plain. You will not find my language 
especially choice; the conditions and asso- 
ciates of the years behind me were not con- 
ducive to the improvement of my rhetoric, 
although I’ve studied when everything 
seemed against me; ])ut you shall have the 
story straight. 

My parents were southern gentle- 
folks, to whom were born my sister and I. 
Reverses came early, and when sister was 
five and T was seven, father died. Within 
two years my tender little mother, unal)le 
to longer endure the hardships of ] 30 verty, 
succumbed to disease, leaving us alone and 
penniless. An Orphans’ Home sheltered 
us until a wealthy couple adopted my pretty 
sister, and I was taken by people who were 
roving and unkind. Before I was ten years 
old we were living from hand to mouth in 
a Nevada mining town. I carried water to 
the hands building a new railroad through 
there, and was beaten when I Avent home if I 
didn’t produce eA^ery cent of my meager 
Avages. One day I spent ten cents for meat 
to feed the half-starved camp dogs, and that 


PAGE THIRTY-FOUR 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


night I was flogged within an inch of my 
life. From that day to this, I have never 
seen that man. After running away, I went 
from one place to another, living as I could, 
])ut most of my time has been spent with the 
railroads in some capacity. I frankly con- 
fess that my life during those years was 
neither as clean nor as circumspect as it 
should have l)een. Alexander Pope was 
right when he wrote : 

‘Vice is a monster of so frightful mein 
As to be hated, needs but to be seen. 

But seen too often, familiar with her fat^e 
We first endure ,then pity, then embrace.’ 

Eighteen months ago I was in a small 
extreme western town, enjoying a good po- 
sition, but encouraging questionable asso- 
ciates. One night, on my wa.v down town, I 
overtook an intoxicated fellow — who hated 
me like poison — insulting a young girl. I in- 
terceded in the girl’s behalf. He struck me 
and ran. I followed him up an alley, and 
when passing the rear door of a saloon, a 
stray bottle was hurled out, striking him 
squarely. The result was a six months jail 
sentence for me, because he swore that I had 
struck him with intent to kill, and there 
had been no witnesses. I was absolutely 
innocent inasmuch as that act was con- 


PAGE THIRTY-FIVE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


('crned, but it exemplifies the weight of 
pu})lic opinion against us when we have de- 
liberately chosen and cultivated evil asso- 
ciates. 

During those months in that rotten 
hole, I vowed that when I was set free I 
Avould be decent — I would endeavor in some 
way to cultivate Christian people. My 
ideas of religion were vague, indeed. The 
little I knew was the recollection of times 
s]jent with sister at our sweet little Catholi(‘ 
mother’s knee, when she taught us to love 
the Cross and the Holy Mother. 

The evening following my release I 
liassed the small church in the town and dis- 
('overed that services were being held. 
Mageiiy I entered and listened intently, but 
was soon c-onvinced that the speaker was 
grossly maligning my dead mother’s creed, 
as he termed it — exposing Catholicdsm. Not 
one word to comfort a repentant sinner, no 
life-line thrown out to a helpless, wayfaring 
soul, no ex])ression of love for his Match- 
less Christ — just a ceaseless, sickening 
tirade. Suddenly a man beside me said, 
half aloud: ‘My, he’s a Christian for true!’ 

‘You lie!’ I hissed, beside myself with 
rage and hatred; ‘he’s a fiend. He’d better 


PAGE THIRTY-SIX 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


strive to cleanse the world of corruption and 
hypocrisy before he dares denounce any 
creed; we need the insijiration to love, not 
to hate.’ 

I left at oiK'e with a feeling- in my 
heart that Hell must be all about me and 
that mine was a cast-off sold; you see, I was 
ex])eriencin^ a bad be^innin^-. All this 
does not inpdy that I am i)assing sentence 
on that man. The import of his message 
may have been perfectly right, it may have 
])een wholly wrong; who am I that I. 
should judge? But the point I desire 
yon to see is this — his words were, to me, a 
sacrilege. I had ex]!ected to hear him 
imeach the gospel of love and peace, l)ut in- 
stead, he was endeavoring to renounce and 
destroy — was engendering strife and unrest. 
.More than that, he was controverting the 
loving admonition of a woman — my mother 
— the memory of whom was the cleanest, di- 
vinest thing on earth, left me to which I 
might safely cling. 

To us southern men, regardless of the 
distance from our native soil we may wan- 
der, a woman is the noblest handiwork of 
God, a being set anart; the endiodiment of 
all that is true and V)ure and one who has 
first claims ui;on us to protect that honor 


PAGE THIRTY-SEVEN 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


and truth with oiu’ lives if need be; and to 
us, our mothers — well, if I were not to be 
permitted the holy privilege of believing my 
mother’s teachings to be true, to whom in 
this wide world should I turn for the truth? 

I entered that house of worship with 
a body strong in the brute strength that one 
man uses against another in the strife with 
the obstacles in his temporal existence, but 
with a soul weak, sick and hungry for a mor- 
sel of comfort to aid me in fighting the })at- 
tles which lay before me — a supposed crim- 
inal, Just liberated from the muni(dpal ('ell 
of ('orrection. I left the place — almost a 
blasphemer. 

It is difficult to surmise what the out- 
come might have been had I not come u];on 
some men talking on a street corner. I 
listened to the words of one and acted at 
once. He spoke in the vernacular of the 
rustic west: ‘Say, fellers, it’s Topeka fer 
me; there’s a dickens of a strike on back 
there and all kinds of a chance fer men to 
get a peach of a Job!’ 

One day a few months ago, this man — ” 
hjs arm fell caressingly across Gillman’s 
shoulders — “stretched out a friendly hand 
aiKl drew me to him with those cords of love 
which it seems to me no one could resist; 


PAGE THIRTY-EIGHT 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


with his arm linked in mine he led me into 
the first place of worship I had entered 
since that awful ni^ht out yonder in the far 
west, and O what a difference! Youn^s^ 
friends, he must have the Avords of dhune 
love set to music in his soul. Haven’t you 
noticed how often he selects the words of 
a son^ for a theme ? That day he asked us 
young m.en to sing: 

‘Must Jesus bear the Cross alone. 

And all the Avorld go free? 

No, there’s a Cross for eAwyone, 

And there’s a Cross for me.’ 

Immediately following this, he an- 
nounced: ‘Boys, that is the keynote of what 
I want to talk to you about.’ I left that 
meeting Avith an unspoken voav to take up 
my Cross and follow Him to the end of my 
life, haltingly and blindly though it might 
be. On the next Sunday I came up here 
to IIollyAvood AA'enue church that I might 
hear a second message from him; as you 
perhaps recollect, the Avords of his text were 
again to be found in a wonderful song: ‘My 
son ,give me thine heart.’ Such a plea from 
such a man! Noaa", God helping me, I shall 
striA^e to atone for the Av^asted past and hope 
to so liA^e that neither you, my friends, nor 


PAGE THIRTY-NINE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


your beloved pastor will ever feel that your 
trust in me has been misplaced.” 

Through it all, Constance could not sep- 
arate her thoughts from another voice, more 
cultivated in its intonation perhaps, but al- 
ways accompanied by the same flash of 
eyes of velvet blackness, a similar suppliant 
lift of the raven-crowned head. When he 
had finished, her quivering lips framed a 
question: “Tell me, Mr. Crisman, is your 
sister still living, and if so, what is her 
name*?” 

“That is my sorrow, Miss Amherst; 
one of the harvests, I suppose, of the tares 
I have sown — I shall never knoAv where to 
search for her. We called her Betty, but 
her name was Beatrice. Her adopted par- 
ents forbade all communication between us 
when she left the home.” 

Beyond that question, Constance was 
silent, but the vivisector never deserted his 
post. 



PAGE FORTY 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


CHAPTER V. 

“/ sat alone with my conscience 

In a place where time had ceased. 

And we talked of my former living 

In the land where the years increased. 

In ghosts of forgotten actions 

Came floating before my sight. 

And things that I thought were dead things 
Were alive with a terrible might. 

The vision of all my past life 
Was an awful thing to face. 

Alone with my conscience sitting 
In that silently solemn place. ” 

— Dean Stubb. ' 

Big Dan Amherst, the basso of the 
(*hin*('h choir, was first to move. With one 
stride he reached Bernard with outstretch- 
ed hand saying : ‘ ‘ Come, my dear sir, yon h*e 
a man! I want to shake your hand.” And 
the big arm, inured to hard labor though it 
was, fairly ached before the clan was done 
with him. Before parting, a new president, 
new because she had acquired untold wis- 
dom in one short hour, addressed her pastor: 
‘‘Mr. Gillman, while we bow our heads in 
reverence to Him who knows best in all 
things, will you not tell us your story?” It 
was the outpouring of a heart replete with 
happiness. 

Wlien Mary Lamson looked about for 
her cousin, he was missing. Joseph Gill- 


PAGE FORTY-ONE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


man had seen him slip away during the 
excitement of welcoming Bernard Crisman. 
Years later, when he, Page Carter, Avas 
compelled to secure Crisman ’s signature to 
his passes, prior to taking his business trips 
relative to the legal end of the Corporation 
he represented, he felt somewhat ashamed 
and finally mustered up courage to apolo- 
gize openly for his malicious thrusts in the 
days agone, even though in his secret heart, 
he was jealous of the other’s success. With 
great magnanimity Crisman begged him: 
“My dear sir, don’t humble yourself before 
me; I Avas accustomed to hard knocks in 
those days, but iioav they’re all forgotten. 
Since then there has been too much pleasant 
work to do to harbor grudges; but I thank 
you from the depths of my heart.” 

Hands met in a long clasp, Carter gazed 
as if fascinated, into the deep, black eyes, 
grown brighter if that could be, after the 
happy successful years, then silently left 
the office. Out in the hall he soliloquized: 
“Gad, that’s AAdiat I call a man! A lion 
tamed,” but surveying his purple hand, 
“his paAv retains the grip of iron.” 

Thus absorbed, when leaAung the ele- 
vator he collided Avith a disreputable figure 
sauntering along the dim corridor; the 


PAGE FORTY-TWO 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


slouch hat, ragged khaki trousers craimned 
into much worn, hob-nailed boots, face and 
hands seamy with toil and dissi])ation — all 
combined into one grotesque nondescript — 
was a sight so nncommon in that office 
building that Carter stared at him in amaze- 
ment. Before he recovered his composure 
sufficiently to pass on, he was asked; “Say 
mister, do you know a feller by the name of 
Bernard Crisman'?” 

“Bather think I do.” 

“Well, kin you tell me whar I kin find 

himr’ 

“Sure thing. But what’s your game, 
want a job or a pass or is it a case of black- 
mail The smoldering fire of malice 
flamed anew with the first hot breath of 
suspicion. 

“Now sonny, don’t you git gay with 
me,” he warned with a leer. “I was con- 
sidered a dangerous man back thar in the 
west whar I come from; I ain’t no tin angel 
on wheels yet, but I done that man Crisman 
a dii'ty, mean trick, yes a denied dirty trick 
one time; I played him fer a filthy joker and 
won out then, but I guess I got stung by one 
of them sorry bees an’ — an‘ — I jes want to 
tell him so when I kin see him.” 


PAGE FORTY-THREE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


“That’s certainly a laudable impulse,” 
Carter intersected, with a sneer; his atro- 
cious house of cards tumbled ere it had been 
builded. 

“Eh*? What’s that .yer givin’ me?” 

“I sa,v,” he amended in the same tone, 
“that you certainly mean well.” 

“Yer talkin’ right smoothly now, pard; 
’taint been long I’ve felt this way though. 
One night back ^mnder, I was passin’ the 
church in our leetle town and the 3mung 
folks, they call it some kind of a society, was 
a havin’ an ice cream social. I thought it 
\rould be a mighty fine joke to w^alk off with 
o]ie of them freezers and have a social all 
lo myself. Well, you can take it from me, 
I didn’t get fer till the purtiest kind of a 
gal come a runnin ’ after me and stopped me. 
Afraid? huh, glory be! not a bit, them, w^es- 
tern gals ain’t afraid of nuthin’ less we’re 
plum crazy drunk; and mister,” he hesi- 
tated, as if the anomaly were so unbeliev- 
able that it inspired aw^e, even yet, “by jing! 
that gal says as sw^eet as you please : ‘ Come 
on back wdth me and you shall have all the 
ice cream you can eat.’ Yes sir, them very 
wmrds, and she delivered the goods too, then 
some nice young feller brought me a plate 


PAGE FORTY-FOUR 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


of cake. Gee ! it was lickimi good, but some- 
how it kinder stuck in nw craw, after I tried 
stealin’ it, you know. 

Well I done some tall thinkin’ after 
that and my infernal think machine resur- 
rected more meanness than that ornery old 
devil they call Faust, ever dreamed about; 
quicker ’n pigtail lightnin’ I could see an 
innocent man walkin’ into a rotten old jail 
because I swore to a lie. Purty soon I say 
to myself: ‘You old geaser, you can’t die till 
you tell him yer sorry.’ I won’t tell .you 
iiow I got here, nor how many of them rail- 
road guys ’ hides I ’ve punctured on the way, 
that’s a long story; but jest please tell me, 
pard, how I’ll find him.” 

“Sixth floor, turn to the right, his name 
is on the door.” Carter spoke very abrupt- 
ly, the past was crowding the present. 

The tramp started on, then hastily re- 
traced his steps to reach Carter before he 
left the building “S-s-say, mister, d’ye 
s’pose he’ll kick me down-stairs?” 

“He is more likely to invite you to din- 
ner,” he snapped, with the irritation of a 
man who was very much dissatisfied with 
himself. 


PAGE FORTY-FIVE 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


“Great liornspoon! I wonder,” mut- 
tered the retreating figure, as he shambled 
into the elevator; then, as an afterthought, 
while he soared upward: “I bet that guy 
handed me a bunch bigger ’n this old steel 
rat-trap, but here goes anyhow. Bless Pete ! 
they ain’t no wife and babies to starve if I 
do git knocked out. 



PAGE FORTY-SIX 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


CHAPTER VI. 

Whither thou goest I will go; and where thou lodgest I will 
lodge. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. 

Constance Amherst’s work had just 
begun. She felt absolutely certain that 
Beatrice Noble was Bernard Crisman’s sis- 
ter, but she alone was guardian of the se- 
cret. Divulge it, and sooner or later Beatrice 
Noble and Joseph Gillman would be brought 
together; it took only a dwarfed imagina- 
tion to prophesy the end. No man and wo- 
man with such charming personalities and 
possessing to such a liigh degree, as they 
those attributes which make their lives so 
palpably inseparable, could long resist the 
influence of the other. Lock the secret 
safely and what? She dared not contem- 
idate. 

A few days later, this note reached the 
little old-fashioned cottage on the unpaved 
street : 

‘‘Dear Mrs. Noble: We need you with 
us just now, very much; no one but you can 
satisfy our long felt want. Say that this is 
sufficient to warrant your coming to us, and 
at once. 

Lovinglv vours, 
CONSTANCE AMHERST. 

Two weeks passed away, and late one 
Sunday afternoon, the vivisector glided on 


PAGE FORTY-SEVEN 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


his way, leaving a finished work, thereby 
missing a sweet finale : 

“Miss Constance, , I enjoyed the ser- 
vices in your church today, very much, and 
though I confess considerable ignorance re- 
garding the doctrines and precepts of the 
Protestant churches, I often attend them, 
but never before did I hear an appeal from 
the pulpit, such as was made this morning.’^ 

“And what was that, Mrs. Noble?” 

“Mr. Gillman’s question preceding the 
benediction: ‘Does anyone present know of 
any member of this church who is sick or in 
need of help in any way?’ Is that not un- 
usual?” 

“I believe it is, although it is familiar 
to us, for it is his custom, but then — Joseph 
Gillman is a very unusual man in many re- 
spects.” A pause before she continued: 
“Mrs. Noble, I trust you will pardon me 
when I inquire your maiden name.” 

“Certainly. My own, that is the name 
of my birth was Crisman.” 

“And your brother’s name?” 

“It was Bernard. Why do you ask?” 

“Because Bernard Crisman is, at this 
moment coming up the walk leading to this 
rose-covered nook and with him I see his 
truest friend, Joseph Gillman.” 


PAGE FORTY-EIGHT 


THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


June had come aj?aiu. The church lawn 
was lighted and the clan was separated into 
gpups, not unlike the time one year pre- 
vious. One member was absent — he had 
slipped away with his bride, and they two 
as one were kneeling at the chancel-rail of 
dimly lighted Hollywood Avenue Church; 
their church, where henceforth two lives 
were destined to fulfill Constance’s beauti 
fill prophecy. The stillness emphasized the 
low voices : 

“Beatrice, love like ours comes but once 
in a lifetime, shall we not here alone, conse- 
crate it to Him who gave it life and made 
this day possible?’ 

“Yes, Joseph; and ma.y we not also to- 
gether pra}^ that there be more love given 
to Him?” 

Anticipating their pastor’s fancy to 
flee to his church with his wife, the choir 
and organist were prepared. Softly steal- 
ing in and up to the organ loft unnoticed, 
they made to float down upon the bowed 
heads, strains of angelic sweetness: 

‘ ‘ More love to Thee, O, Christ. 

More love to Thee. 

Hear Thou the prayer I make 
On bended knee.” 


PAGE FORTY-NINE 


OCT 9 19tf 

THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES 


An hour later, the rose laden nook was 
once more resonant with voices. The moon- 
beams played hide-and-seek across the tvm 
earnest faces. Constance and Bernard dis- 
cussed the events of the day, and planned 
for a future which, to the little bird nestled 
amon^ the leaves seemed to concern only 
two in the whole world. 



PAGE FIFTY 


<: 


One copy del. to Cat. Div. 


ncT s 


1 ^ 1 1 



Printing 

Designing 

lllusirat/ng 

Embossing 



Arizona 
STATE 
PR ESS 
Photnii 




